Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	heart_n	son_n	17,006	5	5.6134	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96684	God a Christian's choice, compleated by particular covenanting with God Together with an appendix, containing propositions, tending to clear up the lawfulness, and expediency of transacting with God in that way. In pursuit of a design proposed by Mr. R.A. in his book entituled, The vindication of Godliness. And by Mr. Tho. Vincent, in his book, called Words whereby we may be saved. To which is added, a brief discovery of the nearness of such a people unto God, on Psal. 148. 14. By Samuel VVinney, sometimes minister of the gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire.	Winney, Samuel.	1675 (1675)	Wing W3034; ESTC R231145	79,544	241

consider what a weighty matter is done now by you how sad to be found a Covenant-breaker often think how grievously God complains of such persons Psal 78.8 And might not be as their Fathers a stubborn and rebellious Generation a Generation that set not their heart aright and whose Spirit was not stedfast with God and further ver 37. For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant and again ver 57. But turned back and dealt unfaithfully like their Fathers they were turned aside like a deceitful bow And how severe Go Almighty will prove and shew himself against all those that do thus abominable take his name in vain 5. Finally I wish all persons to see to it that they walk worthy of it and answerable to it in that holy strict pure and upright way of Obedience which God calls for in that chearful dependence on God and Jesus Christ and in that pure Conversation which the holy Covenant requires Suffer not the remainders of unbelief in your hearts to cause you to depart from the living God and let not that hand be lifted up against God which you have lifted up to him in this transaction Beware of your selves that your practice and Conversation be no unsuitable but every way conformable thereunto that so you give not God cause to upbraid you as we read Psal 50.16 17. What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee I wish unfeignedly that all those upon whom these strong and holy obligations lie might have a Conversation alike to that of Levi whom God commends as a patern unto others and reproves the Priests for difformity thereunto I know this Covenant spoken in this place had a peculiar respect to that Tribe yet his holy Conversation is in a most strict and exact manner possible to be imitated by every true Christian in Govenant with God see it recorded Mal. 2.5 My Covenant was with him of Life and Peace and I gave them to him for ohc fear wherewith he feared me and was afraid before my name vers 6. The Law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips he walked with me in Peace and Equity and turned himself chiefly as well as many others from iniquity The Lord keep and uphold us by his free Spirit in an holy Covenant-Conversation answerable to our professed and I hope real Espousals to God and Jesus Christ here untill the marriage of the Lamb be come in the Kingdom of Heaven Amen FINIS THE NEARNESS OF God's Covenant-People Unto Him Being the Sum of two Sermons preached on Psalm 148. 14th vers last part Added as a motive to provoke Christians to and to promote the great design of particular express-Covenanting with God By SAMUEL VVINNEY sometimes Minister of the Gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire London Printed for Thomas Cockeril at the Atlas in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1675. To the Reader Christian Reader Appiness is the Vote of all men But though all desire it yet most take the wrong course to the attaining of it as if one should intend a voyage to the East and Sail quite Westward Austin reckons up 288 opinons of the Philosophers about Happiness and they have all shot wide of the mark We must not weigh happiness populari trutina in the World's Ballance but in the ballance of the Sanctuary Doubtless the Psalmist did hit upon the right Psal 144.15 Happy is the people whose God is the Lord. God is the Summum bonum or chief Good In the chief Good there must be 1. Suavity it must be delitious causing a jubilation or extasy of Joy And where can we such those pure quintessential Comforts which do ravish the Soul with sweet delight but in God * In Deo duad im dulcedine delectatur anima immo rapitur Aug. Psal 16.11 In thy presence is fulness of Joy 2. Transcendency the chief Good must have an innate sparkling Beauty Superior to all other God is the spring of Being who doth enrich and bespangle the whole Creation the Cause is more noble than the Effect He must needs infinitely out-shine all sublunary Glory God is better than the Soul than the Angels than Heaven 3. Duration the chief Good must run parallel with Eternity * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys God abides King for ever Psal 29.10 Eternity is a Flower of his Crown he is an inexhaustible treasury of Goodness So that God being the chief Good the enjoyment of God is the sole thing which Crowns us with Blessedness And how doth God come to be our God but by choosing him It is one thing for the Judgment to approve of God and another thing for the Will to chuse him Many are in their Judgments convinced that God is the most amiable Object but they are swayed another away their Corruptions are stronger than their Convictions But we must upon mature deliberation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cleave to the Lord Acts 11.23 We must choose him though with Affliction Heb. 11.25 Religion is not a matter of chance * Nemo fortuito fit bonus but of choice Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth This choosing of God for our God 1. Presupposeth an enlightned mind We must understand those illustrious Perfections which are in God his Wisdom Holiness Veracity Bounty as Knowledg ushers in Faith Psal 9.10 so it precedes choice 2. It denotes a singling out God from all other Objects to set out heart upon While others Court the World and like Apollo embrace the Lawrel-Tree in stead of Daphne the Believer saith as Asaph Ps 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and as Jacob Gen. 28.21 The Lord shall be my God This Choosing God is that in which the vital part of Christianity consists Affections not grounded upon a judicious Choice die and vanish That fruit cannot last which wants a root to grow upon This choosing God is a blessed sign we love God and belong to him our choosing God is but the result and effect of his choosing us John 15.19 And where there is this chusing of God there will be a davoting 〈◊〉 selves to him Psal 9.38 and 〈◊〉 entring into Covenant with him Jer 50.5 Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant 〈…〉 follows 〈…〉 Bond and 〈…〉 a con●●●● 〈…〉 Vow 〈…〉 so often re●●●● 〈…〉 ratified in the 〈…〉 Supper These things are the subject-matter of the ensuing Treatise wherein the Reverend Author hath so far as I have read taken good pains and given the World a taste of that Savoury gracious Spirit which resides in him his whole Design in this book is to discover the intrinsecal Excellencies in God which may hasten our Choice of him for our supream solace and 〈◊〉 As also to make us break off our Covenant with Sin and engage in Covenant with the high God by vertue whereof we

it is not now needful to Question but if the former was done as it may be rationally supposed then it speaks fully to our purpose it may be not only subscribed with the hand but sealed also This would be as effectual a Monitor of and Bond upon us as Joshua's stone that he set up for a testimony ver 27. This way is the Counsel of a Reverend Divine in a book written by him called a Vindication of Godliness which it may be some of you that hear and read this and I hope thousands more have seen wherein pag. 173. c. he hath given suitable direction very quick and pressing to such a way of dealing with God and pag. 179. he hath set down the form of such a Covenant Such a thing is directed to also * Mr. Thomas Vincent Treat called Words whereby we may be saved pag. 63.64 c. Also in Mr. Jos Alleins book of Convers pag 164. the same as is in Vindictae Pietatis in another Reverend Divine's book named in the margin and another you may find subjoyned at the end hereof you may make use of which you please But I think it best for every judicious Christian to have a draught of his own as best suiting his estate which will much tend to our Spiritual good and advantage as the Appendix will discover and then in life manifest that you have chosen him by chusing all those things that please him God complaints of it as a great sin of the Jews that they did evil before him and wherein was that so evident and did chuse that wherein I delighted not Isa 65.12 just as if a women should chuse a man for her husband but not do any thing he delights in rather chuse to do all that might displease him Whereas those that do take hold of God's Covenant must chuse also those things that please God Isa 56.4 It may be she will live with him for a shew and a pretence but is so far from pleasing him as that she is always vexing and fretting him just so Jerusalem fretted God in all these things Ezek. 16.43 Though we should walk so as to please God and abound therein more and more 1 Thes 4.1 The carriages and conversations of most towards God do discover that they chuse the things that do displease him but let us do and chuse to do the things that please him Particularly 1. chuse the fear of the Lord Be in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23. that is a brave life and that will make a man eschew whatsoever is displeasing unto God God laies it on a people as their great sin that they did not chuse the fear of the Lord Prov. 1.31 2. Chuse the statutes of God David that chose God for his portion and inheritance he also chose Gods statutes Psal 119.111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoicing of my heart and ver 30. I have chosen the way of thy truth Men look upon the actions but God looks on the choice of persons more than their actions though he look to and observes both some sin out of infirmity others out of choice chuse the things wherein God hath no pleasure Folly is joy to him that is destitute of Wisdom Prov. 15.21 now God pities the one and pardons But if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledg of the truth this is sad indeed Heb. 10. I beseech you therefore chuse God and cleave to him with all your Heart and Soul for ever And frequently reiterate and solemnly view this way of transacting with God according to the draught you have lying by you especially every fast-day every Sacrament-day wherein there is as I may so say a new Seal set to the bond of the Covenant wherein you are obliged Oh that the transaction between God and Israel might be between every Soul that hath heard and may read this Deut. 26.17 Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God and to walk in his waies and to hearken to his voice ver 18. See the Appendix and the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements Having directed you to two forms of the Covenant whereby the Christians choice of God is compleated by a free and blessed close with him as also made mention of another to be subjoyned I thought good to offer you the use and view thereof though I have wished and still do that each person that can would be his own penman in this case because though it may be drawn full enough to any hand yet it may not so suit and satisfy every ones Condition or Experience as it might if it were drawn out of as I may say and according to the frame and workings of a Man's own Soul OMst Glorious Gracious and blessed Lord God the great Creator Gen. 14.19 and most high possessor of Heaven and Earth I thy poor and unworthy Creature * Psal 139.14 fearfully and wonderfully made by thee at first in my Creation and as wonderfully dignified by thee in being taken into Covenant with thee in that blessed estate wherein I was at first made do desire to come humbly prostrate before thee in the sense of thy great mercy and my own vileness and undone estate by the fall and the irreparable breach of that first Covenant by that transgression of my first parents and manifold violations of all thy holy and just Rom. 7.12 and good Laws in my sinful practice and Conversation being touched by thy blessed Spirit with a serious remorse therefore am emboldned by thy gracious invitations and frequent call to come in the most humble and unfeigned manner that I can unto thee beseeching thee that thou wouldest accept of me in thy dear Son and mercifully vouchsafe to receive me into Covenant a-new with thy self even that Covenant of Grace which thou hast revealed in thy holy Word wherein thou offerest assurest to all that will come unto thee and lay hold on thy mercy * Joh. 6.37 that they shall in no wise be case out I am I acknowledg a lost sinner in my self and have daily played my part against thee in thought and word and deed discovering that enmity that my heart hath been by nature full of against thee in my enormous rebellions and provocations Thy Promise is * Isa 55.7 Though I have been wicked If I forsake my evil way and though I have been unrighteous if I forsake my evil thoughts and turn unto the Lord thou wilt have mercy upon me and abundantly pardon Having encouragement by thy promise and hoping in thy word * Jer. 3.22 behold I come unto thee beseeching thee O Lord that thou wouldest have mercy upon me a miserable sinner Luk. 18.13 Now sith it hath pleased thee to require and dost expect of him that

expecteth to be received of thee that he should not * 2 Cor. 6.17 touch the unclean thing I do here in thy presence abhorring my self for all my past vileness sinfulness and unprofitableness resolve Covenant and promise in thy name and by thy strength to forsake the Devil World and Flesh 2 Cor. 4.1 and do renounce all the hidden works of darkness and dishonesty and before the Lord * Isa 30.22 say to every Idol in heart and Life get thee hence purposing in my heart never to * Rom. 6.13 yield my body or Soul nor the members and faculties of them as the members of unrighteousness to sin nor suffer for time to come as heretofore through thine assisting grace * v. 12. sin to reign in my mortal body nor immortal Soul that I should obey it in the lusts thereof that I will keep constant strict watch against all the advantages snares and temptations of all mine and and thine Enemies earnestly intreating and imploring thine * 2. Cor. 12.9 Allsufficient Grace to make me † 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Sober and Vigilant that my adversary the Devil though he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour may not by any of * 2 Cor. 2.11 his devices take any advantage against me but that I may resist him stedfastly in the faith thy grace assisting thereto keeping my Heart Tongue and way from that which is displeasing unto thee And sith I know and am convinced † Isa 64.6 that my righteousness is as filthy rags and no possibility of Salvation by it I do renounce it and loath my self for the imperfections of it being a lost perishing and damnable wretch without thy pardoning and saving Grace And * Tit. 3.4 because the kindness and love of God towards man hath so exceedingly appeared as that thou hast freely offered and promised to make an † Jer. 32.40 Everlasting Covenant that thou wilt never turn away from them to do them good but wilt ever be their God that do * Isa 56.6 lay hold on thy Covenant I desire heartily to take thee O God Father Son and Holy Ghost to be my God to be my Father Saviour and Comforter to be my portion and happiness here and hereafter beseeching thee that thou wouldest † 1 Cron. 29.18 keep this purpose in my heart and continue to communicate this power to my Soul that I may ever cleave to the my Lord and God that I may become wholly and only thine for ever and ever sticking unto thy testimonies chusing the way of thy Commandements all my daies for now the * Psal 56.12 vows of God are upon me yea I have † Psal 119.106 sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous Judgments And forasmuch as there is no Coming to the Father but by Christ who is the * Joh. 14.6 way truth and life who is freely offered in the Gospel † Mat. 3.17 in whom alone thou art well pleased and I can only be accepted I heartily and thankfully desire * Col. 2.6 to receive Jesus Christ and to walk in him To take him to be my † 1 Cor. 1.30 Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption to espouse my Soul to him this day and * Isa 56.6 joyn my self to him in a Covenant that can never be broken off or forgotten My dear Saviour who hast made † Heb. 10.19 a new and living way to the Father for me I do here solemnly and freely * Psal 24.7 9. open the everlasting doors of my heart to thee that thou the King of glory mayst come in that so thou mayst † Eph. 3.17 dwell in my heart by faith that being lost without thee yet * Phil. 3.9 found in thee I may be saved thine I desire to be though I deserve no such priviledg at all being a filthy stinking sinner † Eph. 2.1 dead in trespasses and Sins * 2 Tim. 3.6 Laden with hellish lusts pressed down even to Hell it self but it hath pleased thee to † Hos 2.18 espouse me to thy self in Righteousness and Mercy and Faithfulness I do with my whole Soul embrace and lay hold on thee and do take thee the * Rev. 15.4 King of Saints to be my only Lord and Head and Husband my only King and Commander and willingly † Mat. 11.29 taking thy easy yoke upon me I present my self unto thee resolving to * Hos 3.3 continue not only many but all my daies with thee † Rom. 12.1 yielding up my self body and Soul as an holy living acceptable sacrifice to thee who hast offered up thy self as a * Eph. 5.2 Sacrifice to the Father for my poor lost Soul engaging through thy Grace that I will stoop to thy Scepter fulfil thy will and † Rev. 14.4 follow thee the Lamb of God whithersoever thou goest to be disposed of by thee in every condition that neither poverty nor riches nor * Rom. 〈◊〉 38 3● life nor death shall separate between me and thee Moreover si●h this † Eph. 〈◊〉 12. access is by one Spirit unto the Father through Christ I do here most blessed Spirit take thee to be my only God also to be my Guide and * J●●● 18 9● Comforter beseeching thee that thou wouldest * Eph. 〈◊〉 30. Seal me up unto the day of redemption That thou wouldest be in me a † Jo●● 〈◊〉 38. Fountain of living Water springing up to life eternal That so I may notwithstanding all difficulties * Job 17.9 hold on my way and grow stronger and stronger vowing to be † Gal. 5.18 led by no other Spirit but thy self * Rom. 8.1 walking after the Spirit for time to come and not after the flesh Also because thou requirest every one that expecteth to † Rev. 22.14 enter by the Gate into the City to keep thy Commandments and having now entred into and renewed the bond of the Covenant so to do as one of thy people to which end thou hast graciously promised that thou wilt * Jer. 32.40 put thy fear into my heart that I shall not depart from thee I here as thy Covenant-servant engage solemnly to become wholly thine that I will be for no other † Psal 116.15 O Lord truely I am thy Servant I am thy Servant * Psal 119.38 devoted to thy Fear Love and Service Praying that thou wouldest keep thy promise to enable me to walk in thy statutes and through the never-failing influence of thy Heavenly power * Psal 119.8 I will keep thy statutes † v. 48. my hands also will I lift up to thy Commandements which I love Oh forsake me not utterly yea I will * Isa 30.1 follow no counsel but of thy Spirit and Word from henceforth all the days of my life Though Satan tempt the World allures and the †

Now Conversion is a work wrought upon every particular Soul and that Soul and as many Soul's as are converted do in particular turn to God every one for himself resolves to be for him only and none else 2. Another expression of this is by the giving of the hand Rom. 6.13 compared with 2 Chron. 30.8 Now be not stiffnecked as your Fathers were but yield your selves to the Lord * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrew Give the hand to the Lord as the Margin of some Bibles hath it which hath some resemblance to marriage also forenamed wherein as there is an express Promise by word of mouth so there is at the same time a solemn and publick Giving of the hand each to other And this action hath many times the virtue of a ratification of Promises in our civil Commerce and mutual contracts one with another The Greek Give glory to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX like that Jer. 13.16 give Glory to God by repentance and humiliation pressing to the same duty laid down in the first words positively though there negatively be not stiff-necked in both places yield your selves to the Lord in our translation 3. Another expression we shall said Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints which have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice Hebrew Cut a Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for at holy Covenants the Sacrifices were cut asunder and both the persons went between the parts to shew that there was a mutual stipulation and engagement not one person only was tyed Ainsw but both did thus reciprocally transact one with another and were interchangeably obliged to and assured of the terms therein contained 10. Further this is no more than is already done virtually by us in our Baptism-Covenant and ther 's no person of sound judgment but thinketh himself to be really and fully bound thereby and wo be to every baptized person that lives and dies in the neglect of fulfilling that Covenant And this kind of express transacting between God and our selves by speech or writing is but a doing of the same thing in another way So also in the Sacrament of the Supper wherein every person takes both the Elements the Bread and the Cup into his own hand denoting his receiving Christ to himself in particular and giving up himself to him both receiving and resigning himself up back again is implyed thereby 11. Lastly doth not every Christian do the same thing when he comes to die It is the last work that all men that die in Christ and in the faith do viz. resign themselves up particularly Body and Soul into the hands of God and as the Apostle phraseth it Commit their Souls unto him after all their well-doing as into the hands of a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4. ult How comfortably freely confidently will they do it then having done it solemnly before hand in their life-time for this we have our blessed Saviour for a patern See Luk. 23.46 Cryed with a loud voice and said Father into thy hands I Commend my Spirit and gave up the Ghost the very same words that David the type of Jesus Christ did use when he was alive in his life-time Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I Commend my Spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth in the doing of this work when he was in great danger of death by the malice and mischief his enemies contrived against him the same did Steven the Protomartyr at his dissolution and violent death Act. 7.59 in effect though not in express words Lord Jesus receive my Spirit And thus much for the lawfulness and warrantableness of it which is the first thing Secondly that it is expedient necessary and advantageous appears very plainly by these things following 1. The person gets true and full assurance that the work is once done indeed so that the matter will no longer hang in doubt or if there be any doubts and objections arise at any time this draught will be a testimony of it which God will never disown it being done in sincerity of heart or if not this way yet if there hath been a transacting by word of mouth wherein an interest in God hath been humbly and heartily accepted and embraced and serious giving up our selves to God totally and for ever I say if it hath been done in this manner the Soul will have some ground of evidence and some plea with God when in the midst of detections and temptations This puts me in mind of one poor Soul that was in a mixture of Soul and bodily distraction together who though then as not otherwise in many things and cases sensible yet being set to prayer by some persons that visited her whereof some were Ministers and I my self was one she made use of this passage in these words or to this effect Lord Expressing here her came thou knowest me poor by name and thou knowest that in such a place naming it both House and Room I had Communion with thee and thou didst give me assurance of interest in thee and being thine And soon after through her bodily distraction taken off from the duty and diverted So that this is one beneficial advantage that comes by it that the work is surely and irrevocably done and so shall be able with humble boldness to plead with God for our acceptance with him in any Soul-distresses we are or may come into and being once thus in good earnest done shall never be undone for that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.33 and though we are a people that shall while we are in the World through infirmity break Covenant yet it is God's Covenant-promise to forgive our iniquities and remember our sins no more Jer. 31.3.4 And it is not every infirmity that shall utterly disannul this Covenant and break off this marriage-Covenant and dissolve this marriage-knot see Jer. 3. throughout If we heartily and mournfully return to him as ver 22 c. For God is a God that keeps Covenant and mercy to a thousand Generations to them that love him and make it their whole bent and endeavour to keep all his Commandments Deut. 7.9 hence did David fetch Comfort in his personal and domestical troubles 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow 2. This will be a most strongty and bond to keep our hearts close unto God in dependence and Obedience The best are used to find their hearts hang loose and to stand at a distance through the remainders of unbelief that makes their hearts depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 Now what a spur and goad will the Consideration of this be to us that we are in Covenant and have solemnly listed up our hands to God and yielded our selves to him How will this